CARSTAIRS - In conjunction with the upcoming Aggie Days, town council has approved a proclamation recognizing the vital role played by the area farmers and ranchers, agriculture businesses and agriculture organizations.
Approved by way of motion at the recent Town of Carstairs council meeting, the official proclamation sets May 14, 2022 as Thank A Farmer Day, which falls on the second day of the first-ever, two-day Aggie Days -- an agriculture extravaganza in Mountain View County.
The proclamation states, in part, that the “agriculture and agri-food sector is a major contributor to the Canadian economy. Not only do Canadians depend on farmers to produce the food we eat, but agriculture and agri-food provide jobs for more than 2.37 million people.
“One in eight Canadian jobs is directly linked to the sector, which contributed $179.1 billion to our national economy in 2020, and is thus a major driver of economic growth.
“Canada’s farmers and ranchers not only provide the food we eat but also help sustain rural communities, preserve open space and wildlife habitat and protect the environment.”
Debora Rice-Salomons is volunteer coordinator of Aggie Days Mountain View 2022.
“Mayor Colby and Carstairs council, your proclamation would lend official recognition to the important work of educating the public on the importance of agriculture in Alberta,” she said in a letter received by council, “as well as emphasize your personal commitment to help support the farmers in your constituency.”
Aggie Days Mountain View 2022 will be held at the Heritage Centre by Mountain View Events facility near Cremona, and will feature many displays and exhibits from the local and area ag community.
Volunteers also recognized
Meanwhile, during the April 11 council meeting, councillors also approved a second proclamation recognizing April 24-30 as National Volunteer Week.
The Carstairs proclamation reads, in part, “Volunteers in Carstairs have stepped up during the COVID-19 pandemic to support families, friends, neighbours, and strangers, people standing up to systemic racism, and people sharing insights on how to create a more just and equitable society” and that the “collective result of the work done by our town’s volunteers is that Carstairs is a more desirable place to live.”
